Combination lock



June 14, 1932. I 1 sc -rz 1,863,503

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Sept. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l (707m amzw m BY 44%;! 5m

ATTORNEY June 14, 1932. SCHLITZ 1,863,503

COMBINAT-ION LOCK Filed Sept. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1932 Ui-N IET'E'D- STATES JOHN. SCHLITZ, F LEAVENWORTH; KANSAS COMBINATION LOCK Applicationfiled September 15, 1930. Serial No. 482,102.

This. invention relates to a combination lock, the generalobject of the invention being toprovide a lock of the maximum strength, one thatv is practically impossible to open unlessthe combination is known, and which is compact and practically weather-proof.

Thisinventionalso consists incertain other features ofconstruction and in the combinationand arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings. and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Indescribing the invention indetail, reference will be had: to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters. denote like or. corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the invention. Figure 2 isaview, withparts in section and parts in elevation, and showingthe lock used tolock two members together.

Figure .3 is a sectionalview with part of the locking pin or bolt inelevation.

Figure 4 is a section on line &.L of Figfii ure 3.

Figure 5is a section. on line 55 of F igure 2.

Figure'fi is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a. perspective view of the holding member for the jaws.

Figure 8 is aisectional view through the easl igure 9 is an edge View of one of the combination rings.

Figure 10 is a view of oneof. the jaws which hasits rib arranged 0E center.

Figure .11. is a. view of one of the jaws havingthe rib centrally arranged.

Eigure12 is aview of the key member. Figure 13 is aview similar toFigure 6, but showing the jaws in holding position.

In these drawings, thenumeralil indicates a, cylindrical. casing having one end open and its other end: closed, the closed end being slightly rounded and having a central opening 2 therein and-the threaded holes 3 adj acent the sides thereof. Theopen end is internally threaded, as shown at 4, and; a window 5 isformed the side of the casing. A

jaw holding member 6 is fastened to the inner face of the closed end of the casing by the screws 7 and-said member is formed with the notches 8 in whichfit the heads 9 of the jawslO so that, the jaws are movably held in the casing by said member 6. Theouter face of each head9 is formed with a socket 11 for'receiving a spring12, these springs acting to hold the j awsin locking position, but permitting outwardmovement of the jaws. As shown, the jaws are of arc'shape in cross section and when in closed position, the jaws form a circle with their side edges contacting.

A key member 13has anintermediate circularpart which passes through the circular opening 2 in the closed end of the casing and said member has a square head 14 at its inner end which fits between the heads 9 of the jaws so that when the key member is given. a partial turning movement, its corners, engaging the flat inner faces of the heads, will movethe heads and, therefore, the jaws outwardly. A pin 15 projects from the circular part of the key member and engages a notch 16 in the wall of the hole 2, the notch being so formed asto permit the key member to be turned a sufficient distance to move the jaw members into releasing position. A cap 17' is fastened to the outer endof the key member in any suitable manner such as by having the key member riveted to the cap, as shown in Figure 3. The cap fits over the outer part of the casing, as shown in said figure, and isknurled, as shown at 18, to facilitate the turning of the cap and the key member.

A washer-like member 19 is threaded in the open end of'the casing and'is held in position by a set screw 20 which passes through a diagonally threaded hole in the member 19 and has itsouter end engaging a socket 21 inthe casing. As will be seen, the screw 20 is threaded into the hole in the member 19 from the bore of said member so that when the lock is placed on the locking pin or bolt 22, it will be impossible to remove the member 19 and thus gain access to the interior parts, of the look; This pin or bolt 22 is formed with an. annular groove 23 which is adapted to receive the interior enlargements key ring.

10 of the jaws so that these enlargements will lock the casing to the bolt or pin 22 when the parts are in locking position. Each jaw is formed with a longitudinally extending rib 2 on its exterior face and the ribs on some of the jaws are centrally arranged and the ribs on the other jaws are ofiset from the center, as shown in Figure 10. A plurality of key rings 25 is placed in the casing and surround the jaws and each ring is formed with a number of deep notches 26 on'its interior face for receiving the ribs 2a of the jaws, it being understood that the key rings have the same number of these notches as there are ribs on the aws, so that when the key rings have been moved to place the notches 26 of all the rings in alignment with the ribs, the jaws can be spread apart as the ribs will enter the notches. If the notches are not aligned with the ribs, of course, the jaws cannot be spread apart to release the bolt or locking pin, as the ribs, striking other portions of the rings, will prevent the jaws from being moved to releasing position. Thus it is absolutely necessary to move all the rings to a certain position'before the jaws can be moved to releasing position and in order to do this, I provide a combination ring 27 for each key ring, the characters on the combination rings being visible through the window 5 when the rings are rotated. Each combination ring is formed with a transverse groove 28 between each character which facilitates turning of the ring and its Each combination ring is adjustably connected with its key ring by the tongue and groove connections, shown at 29, so that the combination or code can be changed by removing the partsfrom the casing and separating each pair of combination and key rings and replacing the rings of the pair in a. different position.

The interior of each key ring is provided with a plurality of shallow notches 30 for foiling an attempt to open the look by sound or touch by a person not knowing the combination.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when one wishes to unlock the device, he must first move the rings to place the proper combination characters in alignment, as shown at the bottom of the window in Figure l. The lower portion of the window is wider than the rest of the window to indicate where the combination characters are tobe aligned.

After this isdone, the cap 17 is turned, which partly rotates the key member 13 sothat the corners of its head 14 will push the aws outwardly against the action of the springs 12, as shown in Figure 6, and as the ribs 24 will enter the grooves 26 of the key rings, when the key rings have been properly positioned, the jaws can be opened to their full extent, so that their enlargements will move out of the groove in the bolt or locking pin and thus permit the pin or bolt to be drawn from the casing or the casing from the bolt. As before stated, unless the rings are moved to properly align the notches 26 with the ribs of the jaws, the jaws cannot be opened to an extent to release the locking pin. As only small portions of the combination rings appear through the window andas the rings are held snugly together by the member 19, it is impossible to pick the lock or damage the same through the window and it is impossible to take the lock apart as the pin is entirely enclosed when the casing is placed on the locking pin and the cap 17 encloses the outer end of the casing and prevents access through any of the holes in said outer end. As the casing is rotatably arranged on the member 22, it will simply rotate about the same if an attempt is made to pry the casing from the member and thus prevent a crowbar or the like from getting a purchase on the casing and in order to prevent the member 22 from being broken in two or cut in an attempt to secure entrance to the building or part on which the lock is used, I make said member 22 hollow andplace therein a steel cable 30 which has its ends welded to each end of the member 22. Thus even if the member 22 is broken in two, the cable will still support the parts and prevent them from being separated.

The member 22 is shown as provided with a substantially semi-circular head 31 and this head is formed with a socket 32 to receive one end of thecable. As shown in Figure 2, the member 22 is passed through the keeper recesses of the parts A to be locked together and then the casing is passed over the grooved part of the member and locked thereto so that said casing and the semi-circular part prevent the member from being pulled from the keeper recesses or openings. This semicircular part may be formed with a knurled portion 34 and the casing may also be provided with the knurled part 35 which act as finger holds. The part35 may be grasped by the fingers of one hand, while the knurled part 18 of the cap is grasped by the fingers of the other hand so that the cap can be turned on the casing or the casing on the cap to open or close the jaws.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a compact lock which can be manufactured to sell at comparatively low cost and one which is practically burglar-proof, due to its solid construction and the arrangement of the parts within the casing. As the space within the lock is very small, any attempt to crush the lock will lock the jaws so that it will be impossible to open them without complete destruction of the lock. The locking pin, being of hardened steel, resists cutting and being hollow, resists bending and if broken by a heavy blow, the parts will not separate as they will still beheld together by the cable and this cable will hold the parts together notches, and combination rings adjustably in such a manner as to prevent a cutting tool connected with the first named rings and the being passed between the broken parts in an casing having a window thereln for exposing attempt to cut the cable, as the tension of the portions of the comblnation rlngs.

cable will hold the broken parts closely together.

The device is practically weather-proof, as the rings fit snugly against the window and the cap and member 19 prevent the entrance of rain or moisture through the ends of the casing. The member 19 also acts as means for takin up wear of the rings, for when the rings ieing to wear, it is simply necessary to screw the member 19 farther into the cashig.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A lock of the class described comprising a casing having a window in one side thereof and an opening in each end of the same, jaws in the casing, a key passing through the open ing in one end of the casing for moving the jaws to releasing position, a member adapted to enter the other opening in the other end of the casing and having a groove therein for receiving portions of the jaws to detachably lock the casing to said member with free rotation of both with respect to each other,

and combination members arranged in the casing and having portions visible through the window, said combination members preventing outward movement of the jaws until such members are moved to a certain position.

:2. A lock of the class described comprising a casing having opposite open ends, one end bein internally screw threaded, a washer mem er threaded in said threaded end, a locking pin passing through the washer memher and engaging a part of the casing, said member having its inner end exposed by the bore in the washer member, a locking element adapted to pass through the washer member and having an annular groove therein, jaws in the casing having portions engaging the groove for locking the element and casing together with free rotation of one with respect to the other when locked together, a key member passing through the other open end of the casing and having a portion engaging the jaws for moving the same to releasing position when the key member is partly turned, a plurality of rings in the casing each formed with a number of deep notches and shallow notches between the deep ones, ribs on the jaws for preventing outward movement of the same unless the rings are in a position to permit the ribs to enter the deep In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN SOHLITZ. 

